![Kirby Puckett [Refractor] #81 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5XIAAOSw49tf6uWb/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Kirby Puckett [Refractor] #81 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Kirby Puckett [Refractor] #81 sells for $220 against $25.00 raw: a $195 spread, 8.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($200) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $25.00
- Grade 9.5
- $220
- PSA 9
- $200
- Gem premium
- 8.8×
- As of
- Jul 11, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $220 | +$170 | +$145 | +$45.00 |
| PSA 9 | $200 | +$150 | +$125 | +$24.99 |
| PSA 8 | $70.00 | +$20.00 | −$5.00 | −$105 |
Net = sale price − $25.00 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $205 | +$130 |
| 50% | $210 | +$135 |
| 75% | $215 | +$140 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $220 |
| 9 | $200 |
| 8 | $70.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Troy Percival [Refractor] #16 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mysAAOSwWRZnn5hJ/s-l500.jpg)
![Derek Jeter [Refractor] #80 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/m7YAAeSwZPJp29OE/s-l500.jpg)
![Mike Mussina [Refractor] #23 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iYcAAeSwmd1qSuAN/s-l500.jpg)
![Frank Thomas [Refractor] #29 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LTcAAeSwvPlpTML7/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kirby Puckett [Refractor] #81 — FAQ
Is Kirby Puckett [Refractor] #81 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Kirby Puckett [Refractor] #81 sells for $220 against $25.00 raw: a $195 spread, 8.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($200) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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